Korean Job Discussion Forums

mcatt66 · Joined: 17 Mar 2009

Is this a good deal for a first timer or should I do some more searching. . I have a bachelors degree in education. . .Im 31 years old

The following is included:

Teach for a full year in Korea. . 3 week training in Thailand
Thai-Korean program is an unique opportunity to explore Thailand and Korea. In this program you complete your International TESOL course in Thailand (for only 750USD) followed by a guaranteed teaching job in South Korea.

Your salary will be 2.1-2.3 million KRW (1600USD approx) per month, plus airfare reimbursed up to 1800USD (roundtrip), accommodation provided, insurance and many more facilities.

mcatt66 · Joined: 17 Mar 2009

giving this one bump. . not sure is this is something that is not to be discussed on the site?. . If it is let me know and Ill delete

Ukon · Joined: 29 Jan 2008

It's a rip off....find your own job and do an online TEFL for $200.

losing_touch · Joined: 26 Jun 2008 Location: Ulsan - I think!

With a BEd, you can do much, much better than this in both Thailand and Korea.

agoodmouse · Joined: 20 Dec 2007 Location: Anyang

On-site TEFLs teach you concrete in-class practical techniques for teaching. Online TEFLs have no classroom component, i.e. you don't step in a classroom.

mcatt66 · Joined: 17 Mar 2009

thanks for the reply's. . i actually dont mind paying the $750 for the training because it includes accommodations for 3 weeks in Thailand and I will learn a bit more being in an in-class setting. . But what Im getting is that the amount I am paid is not great?. .with a bachelors what should I expect to be paid?. . where is the best place for me to get a good job in a good school? I also have a Nevada teaching license (does that give me any more leverage when trying to get higher salary?)

losing_touch · Joined: 26 Jun 2008 Location: Ulsan - I think!

last goodbye · Joined: 13 Aug 2006

Try to work in Hong Kong. With the price of the won now, you make zilch here- and it's a pretty dreary place to live. Was fine when the won was worth lots more.

If you do work here- check the contract WELL- people who own schools here are notoriously sleazy. I am taking mine (who just fired me for NO reason) to the labour board. Even if it's in the contract doesn't mean you'll get it, but at least it gives you something to go to the labour board with. Ask many questions about it, ask them to make changes, etc. You do have a teaching lic., that looks very good here- milk it!! Wait 'til you get the contract you want.
Ask about how many foreigners work there, and to speak to one-and get their email so you can ask "the difficult questions" they may not be able to answer on the phone (with the boss beside them). Ask when the airfare will be repaid (upon arrival, after 6 months a year)- try for on arrival of course (for at least half-or full and let them keep it, but keep the details of the ticket so you can get one re-issued if you have to split). Ask about the apartment- some stick you in dungeons- ask for 2nd floor or higher (unless you like bars on the windows). Be picky- you have to "put up with it" for a year. Where is it? Small towns are pretty hard to take 1st year!!! Trust me!! Seoul is best (for Korea)!!

last goodbye · Joined: 13 Aug 2006

Try to work in Hong Kong. With the price of the won now, you make zilch here- and it's a pretty dreary place to live. Was fine when the won was worth lots more.

If you do work here- check the contract WELL- people who own schools here are notoriously sleazy. I am taking mine (who just fired me for NO reason) to the labour board. Even if it's in the contract doesn't mean you'll get it, but at least it gives you something to go to the labour board with. Ask many questions about it, ask them to make changes, etc. You do have a teaching lic., that looks very good here- milk it!! Wait 'til you get the contract you want.
Ask about how many foreigners work there, and to speak to one-and get their email so you can ask "the difficult questions" they may not be able to answer on the phone (with the boss beside them). Ask when the airfare will be repaid (upon arrival, after 6 months a year)- try for on arrival of course (for at least half-or full and let them keep it, but keep the details of the ticket so you can get one re-issued if you have to split). Ask about the apartment- some stick you in dungeons- ask for 2nd floor or higher (unless you like bars on the windows). Be picky- you have to "put up with it" for a year. Where is it? Small towns are pretty hard to take 1st year!!! Trust me!! Seoul is best (for Korea)!!

suki · Joined: 10 Oct 2008

The website says you will be reimbursed for the airfare, but what they don't tell you is that you'll only be reimbursed from Thailand to Korea by the Korean school system. It is very misleading.

In fact, my GePIK contract is written in very poor contract language stating in one place that you will be reimbursed for a one way flight from your home to Korea, and then in another place saying your reimbursement will be BASED ON the most economical direct flight.

It doesn't matter if you only fly one way or that two separate tickets are less expensive than one multi-destination ticket. They will screw you out of anything but the Thailand to Korea portion. As if Thailand is your home...

So stopping to get more training en route not only costs you the program fees, but it also costs you the airfare for the first leg of your one way trip to Korea. So by taking the time and money to be a value-added employee, you get rewarded by being reimbursed approximately half what someone else traveling from your same home would pay. So add the $500 you won't be getting back for flight reimbursement into the costs.

Their advertising is misleading. It was fun and I learned a little, and it was definitely more helpful than on-line courses, and I might even do it again. BUT that practice is called bait and switch in my book.

mcatt66 · Joined: 17 Mar 2009

martinpil · Joined: 03 Dec 2008

As far as I can see, and I have not been to Korea, you do NOT need a TEFL in Korea to teach. You only need a degree and you BEd is good as you have obviously done English as part of you BEd and have classroom practice.
The employers prefer a TEFL if you have one, but you don't need one.

To be honest, I did a one-month intensive one at International House here in the UK and I thought it was a bit of a "phoney" certificate to get, although I did learn somethings about the English language. It's the same for my PGCE, which was a chore more than anything else getting the lesson plans done...which British teacher ever does lesson plans after they qualify? None, well they do, but not for every class and every day. Teaching is a joke and that's why the great Irish writer said those who can't, teach.

suki · Joined: 10 Oct 2008

Yes. I just did this program.

I'd say it was somewhat helpful - because there was one great instructor. (and the rest were worthless) But the 120 hours certification is somewhat of a joke. It was very helpful to have live practice as well - but 25 fairly outgoing Thai students is very different from 40+ Korean students. It is MUCH BETTER than going in front of a teaching assignment stone cold, though.

Job placement was THE SAME as you would have with any other recruiter. They call this a "special Korea program" But really, the training and the job placement are handled by two different entities, and the coordination between the training program and the recruiter has some kinks to be ironed out. I hear the recruiter, Korvia, is excellent, but I have nothing bad to compare it to. Like any of these recruiters, you tell them what you want, and they try to get you as close a match as possible. Korvia left out the fact my school was private and christian. Minor detail. (NOT) But nothing is guaranteed, and of course, it all changes depending on which school district you are working with.

For example, the training program's website appears to be based upon the EPIK contract, yet most of us got placed with GePIK, so those differences were not always addressed by the training program and each of us had to sort out the distinctions on our own or with the recruiter.

The program has some value if you are like me and haven't the self discipline to slog through an on-line class. Also, the practice with live children was valuable. It was in Thailand, so that was wonderful.

But the costs really stacked up beyond the program fees. The added costs above food included loss of reimbursement for airfare from my home country to Thailand, (+/- $500) travel expenses from Chiang Mai to Bangkok, (+/- $100) overweight fees for luggage (+/-$300) because inter-Asia travel goes by domestic restrictions vs. the more generous international restrictions, and the additional accommodations and living expenses between the end of the program and the beginning of the teaching assignment. (+/- $200) So that's an extra $1,100 if you are a fasting monk.

So yeah, it was helpful and enjoyable yet twice as expensive as I thought it would be. And, I might add, frustrating, because the program and the recruiter were often saying different things, all of which resulted in more money coughed up by me.